Purdue basketball: Many holes to fill

8:58 PM,
Mar. 18, 2014

Purdue's Rapheal Davis has the ball knocked away by Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr.,left, in the first half of game during the Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Thursday, March 13, 2014, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Written by

Nathan Baird

Purdue's men's basketball players, eager to put the disappointment of 2012-13 behind them, envisioned a path back to success in the Big Ten Conference and a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The sophomore class would blossom after gaining valuable experience as freshmen. Defections were actually addition by subtraction, and incoming transfers would provide a boost of leadership and maturity. Senior leaders would help restore the aura around the program. ...